1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic filing apparatus for reading various kinds of documents and image information and storing this information by adding information to a memory medium having a large capacity such as a magnetooptic disk, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, an electronic filing apparatus has been developed and considerably utilized. This electronic filing apparatus is also called an electronic filing system or an optical filing system. The electronic filing apparatus is used to save space for storing a large amount of documents made or supplied to offices, etc. The electronic filing apparatus is also used to efficiently take out required documents when necessary.
Such an electronic filing apparatus is generally constructed systematically by an image scanner, an apparatus body, a display unit, an input device such as a mouse, and a printer such as a laser printer. The image scanner is used to read at least information of documents and images. The apparatus body has an external memory unit, a controller, etc. The apparatus body sorts the read information of the scanner every document and registers the sorted information to a memory medium such as a magnetooptic disk, etc. The apparatus body further has a function for retrieving the registered information. The display unit displays the read information of the scanner, the retrieved information from the apparatus body, etc. The input device has a keyboard and a pointing device for inputting retrieving information and commands, etc. by an operator. The printer is used to print the retrieved information, etc.
In such a general electronic filing apparatus, the operator must input information for retrieval such as document names, keywords, dates, etc. from a keyboard when document information to be filed are read and registered by the scanner.
Electronic filing apparatuses for adding such retrieving information and easily performing a retrieving operation are also developed. In one of these electronic filing apparatuses, retrieved information such as stamped dates prepared or made in advance are selected and added to the document information. Another electronic filing apparatus can use a plurality of different sorting-retrieving systems of a box type, a keyword type, a tree type, etc.
However, in such sorting-retrieving systems of the general electronic filing apparatuses, an operator must add information such as document names, keywords, stamped dates to the document information. Accordingly, when a large amount of documents are electronically filed, operating efficiency of the operator is reduced.
Further, no sorted information is automatically provided in the electronic filing apparatus which can use the plural different sorting-retrieving systems. Only the same sorting-retrieving system can be used with respect to one memory medium such as one magnetooptic disk, etc. Accordingly, no sorting-retrieving system can be switched to a desirable sorting-retrieving system at any time in processing of data. Further, these sorting-retrieving systems have merits and demerits and are not necessarily used easily.